Method for forming concrete



METHOD FOR FORMING CONCRETE FOUNDATION COLUMNS Filed June 9, 1937 2Sheets-Sheet l 9 Z Z. m m 2 3 4 4 a 4 5 L 4 4 fi M a a June 13, 1939. w,NEWMAN 2,162,108

METHOD FOR FORMING CONCRETE FOUNDATION COLUMNS Filed June 9, 195"! 2Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented June 13, 1939 UNITED STATES METHOD FOR FORMINGCONCRETE FOUNDATION COLUMNS William J. Newman, Chicago, Ill. ApplicationJune 9, 1937, Serial No. 147,176

Claims.

I have discovered that by utilizing air under relatively high pressureand water, foundation columns may be formed in earth by driving methodsas distinguished from boring or other 5 excavating methods. The diameterof the columns made in accordance with the present method may be limitedbut the forming of columns up to thirty-six inches in diameter iscontemplated under favorable conditions. In accordance with the presentinvention, a hole or well is formed by driving methods similar to piledriving and after the hole has been made to the desired depth, as forinstance to rock or other solid foundation, it is filled with concretewhich may be reinforced.

The objects of the present invention are to provide a improved method offorming columns for foundations or the like whereby they may beconstructed at a relatively low cost and will be particularly strong andserviceable in use; to

provide an improved method of forming a hole for a foundation byutilizing water and air in the formation thereof and to also utilize theair in the placement of the concrete; to provide an improved method ofmaking foundation columns of considerable depth by driving methodswhereby the adjacent earth will not be objectionably affected; toprovide improved means for use in forming foundation columns; to providean improved driving head; and to provide such other advantages inoperation and improvements in construction as will appear from thefollowing description.

In the accompanying drawings illustrating this invention,

Figure l. is a side view showing my hole forming apparatus in operativeposition;

Figure 2 is a similar view taken at right angles to Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is an enlarged sectional detail of the driving head andadjacent parts;

Figure 5 is a sectional view illustrating the placing of the concrete inthe completed hole or well; and

Figure 6 is a sectional view taken on the line 66 of Figure 1.

In accordance with this invention I use a sectional driving pipe wherebysections may be coupled on as the driving progresses. One of thesesections is shown at 1 coupled to a driving cap 3 having a heavy top 9which is to be engaged by the hammer of a pile driver or the like.

The cap 8 has aninlet pipe ID for supplying water. The lower end of thecap has a coupling portion H with angularly arranged slots 12 forengagement with pins l3 on the upper end of the pipe I to form a bayonetjoint or connection whereby these parts may be quickly coupled anduncoupled as for adding additional sections. The coupling is locked bymeans of a screw 23 having a tapered point for engagement with a hole inthe end of the pipe as shown particularly in Figure 5. All of the pipesections are also provided with similar couplings as will be readilyseen from the drawings. By means of these couplings the ends of the pipeare brought into abutting relation and the coupling bands or rings l Iwhich are preferably welded to the upper sections coact to makesubstantially water-tight joints. One or more air pipes M are carrieddown along the outer side of the driving pipe 1 for supplying air forthe various operations as Will be described. These air pipes are alsopreferably made in sections corresponding with the sections of thedriving pipe and are secured to the driving pipe as by welding or thelike so that the air pipes may be coupled up by couplings l5 as thedriving pipe sections are added. The lowermost pipe member 16, which isto be connected with the driving head, is provided with a guide ring orannular shoe I! which is rigidly secured thereto adjacent to the lowerend, which guide or shoe also serves as a closure or packing ringbetween the pipe and the adjacent walls of the hole. This ring isprovided with valve controlled passages for permitting fluid to passupwardly therethrough and to prevent the same from passing downwardly.In the particular arrangement shown the ring has a plurality of holes ISwith valve seats 19 at their upper ends which coact with valves 20having stems 2| that extend down through the holes and serve to hold thevalves in operative position- Stops 22 are fastened to the sides of thepipe and serve to limit the upward movement of the valves.

The lower pipe member I6 is coupled directly to the driving headdesignated generally by the numeral 24. This driving head may be made ofany suitable material but as it will ordinarily be left at the bottom ofthe hole I prefer to make it as shown, principally of reinforcedconcrete in order to reduce the cost of the same which is particularlydesirable when the heads are of large diameter. The driving head has acenter pipe 25 which fits closely within the end of the pipe I 6 asshown in Figures 3 and 4, and has pins or 55 ment or coupling of the airtubes.

projections 26 for engagement with angular slots 21 in the lower end ofthe pipe Hi to provide a bayonet joint connection between these partsand one which will permit uncoupling when desired; The driving head hasa body portion 28 formed mainly of concrete, this portion beinggenerally of round or cylindrical shape at the top and wedge-shaped at.the bottom. The fiat sides of the wedge are undercut as shown at 29 toprovide protecting ledges 30 for outlet holes or openings 3! which leadfrom the central opening of the pipe 25 to the outersurface of the head.These openings may conveniently be made by means of short pipe sections32 which extend outwardly from the pipe 25 as shown in Figure 5. Thestraight or edge surfaces of the head are also undercut or recessed asshown at 33 to provide protecting ledges 34 for holes or passages 35which lead out from the pipe 25 at substantially right angles to theholes 2|. These holes may also be conveniently formed by short pipesections 36 as shown in Figure 4. The lower wedgeshaped end of thedriving head is provided with a cutting shoe 3! preferably made of caststeel and having suitable projections or the like for interlocking thesame with the concrete body portion which is preferably cast or moldedinto the shoe. The shoe also is provided with lugs or projections 36awhich are engaged by the lower end of the pipe 25 so that force appliedto the pipe will be carried directly to such cutting shoe. This shoe hasa straight cutting edge 38 forming the main portion of the wedge orchisel and such cutting edge is also preferably tapered up to the sidesas shown at 39.

The air tubes l4 pass down through holes 40 in the guide ring I! and fitclosely therein. The lower ends of these tubes are bent axially andcircumferentially to provide somewhat spiral terminals 4| that extend ashort distance below the end of the pipe l6. These projecting lower endsare adapted to fit over or engage with the upper ends of coacting pipesor tubes 42 and 43 positioned in the driving head 24. The upper ends ofthe tubes 42 and 43 are also bent axially and circumferentially so thattheir upper ends are in position to enter the enlarged'or bell-shapedends of the tubes l4 when the head is in engaging and driving positionon the end of the pipe Hi. In other words, the rotary movement necessaryto make the coupling with the bayonet joint between the pipe I 6 and 25causes the inter-engage- Likewise when the parts are turned to uncouplethe main pipes the air tubes will be uncoupled by the same move- 7 ment.The tube 42 has. two branches 42a and 42b that extend down and out intothe holes 35 as shown in Figure 4, to direct the air radially outthrough said holes. The tube 43 also has lower branches 43a and 431)that extend into the holes or openings 3| in order to direct airoutwardly through these openings in the sides of the wedge.

When a foundation column is to be made a hole 44, which is somewhatlarger than the hole to be formed, is dug in the surface of the'groundand provided with lagging 45. This hole may be approximately five feetin depth and is filled with water before the driving operation begins.The driving head with the necessary lengths of pipe and connections arethen centered in the hole preparatory for the driving operation. Theseparts may be supported in any usual manner and the pipe is drivenbymeans of a pile driver or the like .(not shown).- As the driving waterthus passing out around the head tends to'loosen thesoil and also tolubricate the periphery of the cutting head and expedite the drivingoperation. It will of course be apparent that as the head is driven inthe ground the upper cylindrical portion will ordinarily fit tightly inthe hole so that all the water may not pass up around the side of thehead. Any excess water pumped into the head will pass out through holes46 which extend out through the sides of the head as shown in Figures 1and 4 and connect with upwardly extending. grooves or channels 41 thatprovide passageways up to the space between the head and the guide ringII. The outer periphery of the guide ring is preferably taperedlongitudinally in both directions or curved as shown in Figure 4 so thatthe largest diameter is at the center and this portion is of slightlygreater diameter than the driving head so that the ring makes asubstantially tight closure between the pipe l6 and the side walls 46 ofthe hole formed by the head. The excess water will then pass upthroughthe check valves 20 into the space between the pipe l6 and the theentire operation and the pressure of the water supports the walls andtends to prevent caving in. It will also be noted that the pressure ofthe ring against the sides will tend to smooth and compact the sides ofthe well or hole as the driving proceeds. In the meantime air ispreferably supplied during the entire driving operation, the air beingfurnished from any suitable source to provide the necessary pressureswhich will ordinarily be approximately one hundred pounds per squareinch or more if the work is at considerable depth. The air forced outthrough the holes 3| and tends to churn the water and to agitate thesame to accentuate the cutting and loosening operation and to facilitatethe movement of the driving head. Any excess air may also pass up andout through the valves 20 and escape to the atmosphere. If desired,water or other fluid may be supplied through the pipes M in the place ofair.

If a rock or boulder is encountered the wedgeshaped bit or shoe willtend to split the same and will act more effectively than would aconical point. If such rock is not readily split by the first actions,the drill pipe and head may be raised a short distance and then turnedapedge 38 will then tend to cut the rock at right angles to the originalcut and ordinarily this will be effective in producing the desiredoperation. It will be noted that during the turning movement the pipeshould be turned in the same way that it is turned to couple the bayonetjoint in order to prevent disconnecting the head. In view of thepeculiar wedge shape of the head except at its uppermost portiontherewould be relatively little friction on thesides thereof during theoperation and this friction is minimized by the action of the air andwater.

When the cutter head reaches solid rock or other bottom or is driven tothe desired depth,

the water is pumped out of the pipe I6 and the head, this pumpingpreferably being done rapidly. The valves 20 will hold the water in thespace above the ring I! so that the sides of the hole will be supportedeven after the water is pumped out from the center.

As soon as the water is pumped out reinforcement such as shown at 49 isplaced in position in the pipe and may rest on the head as shown inFigure 5. Grout is then poured down through the pipe 56 into theopenings in the head sufficient in quantity to fill the head and suchopenings and during this operation the air of approximately seventy-fiveto one hundred pounds is driven down through the tubes and tends toagitate the grout and force it into the various holes and nicks orcranies around the head. As soon as the head is filled with grout thepipe I6 is turned to uncouple the bayonet joint or detachable connectionbetween the same and the driving head. The pipe is then filled withconcrete such as intended to complete the column and gradually raised sothat it acts as a tremie for filling the hole. During this fillingoperation the air is continued to be supplied and will be dischargedbelow the end of the pipe as shown in Figure so that it tends to rotateand agitate the concrete as it is being deposited in place and willforce the same against the side walls of the hole. The tangentialarrangement of the outlets of the air tubes is such that it facilitatessuch rotating action of the concrete and blowing of the same against theside walls. As the string of pipes 1 is raised the uppermost sectionswill be removed and the ring I! will gradually force the Watersurrounding the pipe up and out of the top of the hole where it may flowoff or be otherwise removed. Such filling action is continued until thehole is filled to the proper heighth and the reinforcement will ofcourse be properly embedded in the same.

When a column is made in this manner it will be seen that the cuttinghead, which necessarily has been forced tightly into its final position,will provide a substantial base for supporting the column which willalso be further supported by the frictional engagement of the concretewith the side walls and the filling of any enlargements or weakenedplaces in the walls by the forcing of the concrete therein by the actionof the air as above described.

From this description it will be seen that I provide means for formingconcrete columns in a novel manner as well as an improved method ofconstructing the same but I do not wish to be limited to the exact stepsor details of construction herein shown and described except asspecified in the following claims, in which I claiin:

l. The method of forming a concrete foundation column which comprisesdriving a pipe having a detachable driving head and having a closurering of larger diameter than the head for closing the space between thelower end of the pipe and the adjacent walls of the hole formed in theground, into the ground and simultaneously forcing air and water throughsaid head to the outer surface thereof for loosening the earth, thenpumping out the contents of the pipe and head after the head has reachedthe desired depth, then forcing grout into the head to fill the same,then disconnecting the pipe from the head and filling it with concreteto be deposited in the hole and gradually raising the pipe and using itas a tremie for depositing the concrete, said concrete being acted uponby air under pressure as it is being deposited, and water beingmaintained in the space between the pipe and the sides of the hole asthe filling progresses.

2. The herein described method which includes driving a pipe having adetachable driving head into the ground to form a hole, said head havinglongitudinal and lateral passageways communicating with the pipe andsaid pipe having a closure ring positioned adjacent to the lower endthereof for closing the space between the pipe and the sides of thehole, forcing water through said pipe and passageways to the outersurface of the head and to keep the hole filled therewith, alsosupplying fluid under pressure to the outlets from the head andcontinuing such operation until the head has reached a desired depth,then pumping the contents out of the pipe and head while maintainingwater in the hole outside of the pipe, then filling the head with groutor the like, then uncoupling the pipe from the head and using the pipeas a tremie for depositing concrete in the hole, and simultaneouslysupplying air to the concrete at the point of discharge for the purposesdescribed.

3. The method of foundation building which includes providing anextensible cylindrical driving member having a driving cap and havingmeans for supplying the same with water, and also providing an auxiliaryextensible air conduit along the cylindrical member, and providing adetachable head with passageways adapted to be connected with thecylindrical member and said air conduit, driving said head into theground to form a hole while supplying air and water thereto, thenpumping the water out from the cylindrical member and head whilemaintaining water in the hole outside of the cylindrical member, placingreinforcements in the cylindrical member, and finally filling the holewith concrete by using the cylindrical member as a tremie and forcingthe concrete against the sides of the wall by compressed air,substantially as described.

4. The method of constructing underground foundation columns whichconsists in driving a pipe, having a detachable perforated driving headat its lower end and a closure at its upper end, into the ground, andsimultaneously forcing water under pressure into the pipe and throughsaid perforations and also forcing air under pressure through conduitsoutside of the pipe leading to said perforations, then detaching the airand water supply, then pumping the water out of the pipe and drivinghead, then supplying concrete to said pipe and gradually withdrawing thepipe while simultaneously forcing jets of air against the concrete as itis discharged from the pipe whereby the concrete will be forced intointimate contact with the walls of the hole and into any irregularitiesalong the periphery of the hole as described.

5. The herein described method of column forming which comprisesexcavating a shallow well in the ground and lagging the same, thenfilling the well with water, then driving a pipe having a perforateddriving head downwardly through the well to form a hole, forcing Waterthrough the pipe and head during the driving operation, then pumping outthe water from the pipe and disconnecting it from the head and using thepipe as a tremie for filling the hole with concrete, water beingmaintained between the pipe and walls of the hole during such fillingoperation.

WILLIAM J. NEWMAN.

